M A I N   N E W S

Jathedar rejects resignations

AMRITSAR, Jan 8 (FOC & UNI) — Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Puran Singh today rejected the resignations of the three pro-Nanakshahi calendar members who quit the seven-member panel yesterday in protest against the decision of three of the committee members outrightly rejecting the calendar.

The three members, who had forwarded their resignation letters to the Jathedar yesterday, were Mr Pal Singh Purewal, the brain behind the Nanakshahi calendar, Rai Jasbir Singh and Mr Ajit Singh.

The two had alleged that the meeting of the seven-member committee had taken no decision to reject the calendar as was projected in the press by some of their panel colleagues.

Speaking on behalf of the Jathedar, Mr Santokh Singh, convenor of the panel, said here that Giani Puran Singh had not accepted the resignations.

On the contrary the Jathedar had asked the three members to meet him personally to clear all issues and set at rest the controversy regarding the calendar, he added.

Mr Santokh Singh claimed that the Jathedar was pained at the resignations of the three members. Doubts, if any, could be cleared through a mutual dialogue, Mr Singh added.

Giani Puran Singh had formed the seven-member panel last month after the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbanhak Committee (SGPC) President Bibi Jagir Kaur favoured implementation of the ‘Nanakshahi’ calendar. The SGPC chief had said that the Sikhs should have their own calendar and they should not follow the traditional Vikrami calendar.

Giani Puran Singh had also issued a directive that Sikhs should continue with the Vikrami calendar till the issue was resolved by the seven-member committee.

The SGPC, however, has not abided by the Jathedar’s orders and has been observing Sikh festivals and occasions as per the Nanakshahi calendar.